Shirt collar support



Aug. 22, 1950 w. R. KoHI. ET Al.

SHIRT COLLAR SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 13, 1947 Aug 22, 1950 w. R. KoHL ETAL 2,519,380

SHIRT COLLAR SUPPORT Filed Aug. 13, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m gyda/@ML foefo/z, Mam/wwf )VMM @5 Patented Aug. Z2, 1950 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE SHRT COLLAR SUPPGRT Application August 13, 1947, Serial No. '768,305

(el. 22a-83) 6 Claims. 1

This invention pertains to a, collar or neckband support or protector for a collar-attached shirt, adapted to protect a new or freshly laundered shirt against crushing, crumpling or, wrinkling.

It is an object of the invention to provide a verysimple, one piece', ilexible paperboard collar supportcharacterized by its novel rgidifying and bracing provisions, whereby the support is adapted to sustain considerable vertical crushing load when operatively positioned in the neckband of a shirt.

A further object is to provide a protective support of the foregoing character which is fabricated from a relatively small blank of paperboard stock slitted and creased in a manner to produce an improved, strut-like bracing action in a shirt neckband, together with an effective spring engagement of the support againstl the inner surface of the` shirt neckband.

More specifically, it is an object to provide, a support in the form of a paperboard or cardboard element adapted to be folded on one or more lines and bent into an arcuate shape for placement in the shirt neckband, said support when so folded and positioned having a multiply thickness in the zone at which crushing load is applied to the shirt, and further being characterized by a multiple leaf spring expanding spring action into hol-ding engagement with the :L

shirt neckband on either sid-e of said Zone.

Yet another object is to provide a paperboard collar or neckband protector of the above description having foldabie means adapted to rigiclify and stiften the same in its operative position relative tca shirt neckband and also to act as a locking jaw having frictional, biting engagement with the adjacent inner surface of the neck band to .hold the protector in operative position,

The foregoing' statements are indicative in a general way of the nature of the invention, but other and more specific objectsV will be apparent tok those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction and operation of the device. Various embodiments of the invention are `presented herein for the purpose of exemplilisation, and it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of incorporation in still other inodiiied forms Corning equally Within the scope of. the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1` is a plan viewof a blank from which the shirt collar support. is set up, in. accordance with arpreferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a planview oi a mens collar-attached shirt, wrappedl and having the support ofv the invention operatively applied thereto to protect the collar thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view insee'- tion on a line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in plan, similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the manner in which the device is foldably manipulated in applying the same' to the shirt;

Fig. 5 is a plan view which is generally similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a slightly modified embodiment of the invention including a collar support in combination with a shirt encircling band.; and

Figs. 6 and 7' are plan views of blanks from whichstill further modified embodiments of the support are formed.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the shirt collar support is illustrated, a cardboard sheet of a suitable grade and stiffness is die-cut to provide the blank I0. Said blank includes ay body portion Il having a pair of identical, laterally projecting arms I2 extending from either end thereof and, medially and at either sidev of said arms, the opposed flexible reenforcing andlocking panels or tabs I3 and I4. The tab I3 projects a relatively slight distance from the mai-n body |I of the blank and is` provided with a series of serrated teeth t5 along its free edge.

Said tab I3 is exbly'conjoined to the body II by a curved line of slits I6 which, in general, parallel the adjacent sides of the arms |21, but are spaced inwardly therefrom to a slight extent. The slitsare located-only in the area of the body I l between the sides of tab IS and extend entirely through the material of the blank to, in effec-t, define an obtuselyA angled fold line about which tab I 3 is bendablerelative to the body Il and arms I2. It should be noted that the central slit I6 has an arcuate portionv which serves to define a slight tongue-like projection II on body Il", cut out` of the` material of the tab I3. The sides of said last named tabl are caused to extendk into the body I I, i, e., beyond the sides of arms I2, bythe slits Ilat either side of the tab which intersect the arms and extendinward as far as the slits I-, whereby the tab I3 may be readily bent along the line of the slits.

The tab IllV on the opposite side of the bod-y of the blankv extends substantially in a lateral, direction from said body, being outlined bythe angular, convergent edges IS and a serrated edged, external tongue 2B ofA T-shape. Said tongue.V is` partially separated from tab- I4 bythe curved slits 2| which. extend inwardly from' the tab edges i3 to outline the arms of the T-shaped tongue, plus the convergent lines of serrated slits 22 in the body portion of tab I4. These slits 22 join the ends o slits 2| and at their opposite ends terminate in out-turned portions 23.

Like the tab I3, tab I4 is adapted to be folded relative to the body II and arms I2, and for this purpose is provided with the two straight, angularly disposed slits 24 through the material of the blank. Said slits 24 are substantially spaced from one another at their adjacent ends and are also spaced at their outer ends from the short slits 25, similar to slits I8, cut into the blank at the juncture of th-e body and arms thereof.

The tongue 20 which, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, is disposed externally of and overlies the lapels or collar flaps 26 of the collar-attached shirt 21 when the support is applied to the latter, may receive suitable advertising or decorative material.

In use, the operator bendably deflects tabs I3 and I4 in the same direction relative to the body panel II, to overlie the same on one side, and then curves the thus folded device in the direction toward the opposite side, thereby imparting a convex outline to the tabs and body. Such flexure of the device causes the tabs to be sprung, displaced or biased further towards the body I! along their respective hinge lines or slits I6, 24, storing up energy in the manner of a multiple leaf spring. With the tongue 20 exposed outwardly and upwardly, the user now grasps the device, with his thumbs on the areas of tab I4 at either side of the serrated line 22, and positions the arms I2, body II and tabs I3, I4 inside the neck band of the shirt, in conformity with the contour of the neckband, the projection I'I engaging the rear of the shirt. He then releases the arms, allowing the support to expand and engage the neck band around a considerable length of the latter. In positioning the device, care is taken that the tongue 20 overlies the collar lapels 26 and that the collar opening at the front or throat is properly seated in the slit termini 23.

multiple-leaf spring exing action which is very effective in maintaining engagement of the protective support with the internal surface of the neckband. The protector is further braced and held in place against inadvertent upward displacement by the upward biting action of the serrated teeth I5 of tab I3 against the neckband. The engagement of the slits 23 with the top of the neckband adjacent the collar opening furthers resistance to displacement.

It will be appreciated that these multiple bracing and locking actions are very effective in preventing loss of the protector from the collar in either direction; yet to remove the protector it is only necessary to grasp one or both of the arms I2 and swing the same internally and upwardly. The dual tab feature in effect constitutes a relatively stii vertical truss for the protector and imparts a, multiple-leaf spring action which maintains close engagement with the collarband, so that loss of this truss action is not likely.

'The tongue 20 extends over the front of the collar lapels, providing a clamping action which holds said lapels in place and additionally aids in protecting the lapels against crumpling and crushing. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the protector 4 extends above the top of the neckband, particularly at the front of the latter, to afford a buffer of exceptional strength protecting the collar when shirts are stacked one on top of the other, likewise preventing wrapping material from coming into direct contact with the collar.

It is desirable that the ends of the arms I2 be cut on a slant downwardly to terminate in points having frictional engagement with the collar band, and said ends are likewise serrated for increased frictional engagement with the collar band.

The above noted simplicity of insertion and removal of the protector are largely due to the fact that the device involves no parts or elements which need be inserted between the lapels 26 and collar neckband. Such elements are superfiuous in the present device in view of its more than adequate strength and rigidity as well as its marked ability to maintain engagement with the collar by reason of the novel spring action which it incorporates.

In Fig. 5 there is illustrated a modified embodiment of the invention, involving the combination of a, support and protector of the foregoing type with an elongated relatively wide wrapping band 3U. Said band is connected to the remainder of the device in the same manner as the tongue 20 of the above described embodiment and, like the tongue, is adapted to overlie and conne the ends of lapel 26. This form is applied to the neckband in the manner described above, and suitable locking or securing provisions 3I at the ends of the band enable the latter to be releasably located in surrounding relation to the pressed and folded shirt.

Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of the invention which is similar in all respects to the form of Figs. 1 through 4, and similarly employed, with certain alterations. For one thing, the tab denoted I3 is bendably connected to the body II by means of a central arcuate slit 32 extending entirely through the material of the blank, and cooperating crease lines 33, as distinguished from the slits of the Fig. 4. The opposite tab 34 is bendably connected to the body by alternating, aligned creases 35 and slits 35. In use the tabs I3 and 34 are manipulated in exactly the same fashion as the tabs I3, I4 of the rst embodiment and similarly inserted in the neckband opening.

The form illustrated in Fig. 7 is identical to that of Fig. 6 with the exception that the tab 34 is omitted.

In all of the above embodiments a collar support and protector is provided which has very desirable resistance to inadvertent displacement. The upwardly and forwardly projecting tab adjacent the lower edge of the support engages upwardly in the manner of a hook against the collar band to resist withdrawal. Notwithstanding this, said tab does not present any opposition to downward movement of the support into the neckband when the device is being positioned. This feature is of primary importance in the invention. Furthermore, bendable connection of said tab I3 along a non-linear or obtusely angled fold line results in the production of a toggle action at this connection, in the sense that once said tab has been intially bent forwardly and upwardly to a slight degree, the curving of the rearwardly extending arms I2 causes said tab to be further flexed toward the adjacent surface of the collar support. At the same time spring action is stored in the parts and the material of the support placed under stress at the toggle connection of the tab and support body. The result is a substantial rigidifcation at the forepart of the collar area, and a substantial lateral thrust in opposite directions against the neckband to assist the upwardly projecting tab I3 in resisting displacement.

What we claim is:

l. A collar supporting device of the type described, comprising a flexible, sheet like body having integral neckband engaging arms projecting laterally thereof, and a locking and rgidifying iiap hingedly connected to said body by a non-rectilinear fold line including separate hinge portions which are spaced substantially from one another lengthwise of said line and bendable into overlying relation to the body, said flap being arcuately flexed with said body and arms into general conformity with a neckband opening for insertion in the latter, with the ap on the convex Side of the body, said flap being of sufficient length to laterally over-extend the forward central throat zone of said neckband and being spring-fiexcd upwardly and further toward said body about said fold line by said arcuate fiexure whereby to constitute with said body a rigid, multi-ply bracing strut having a multiple leaf spring expanding and engaging action against the interior of said neckband, the free edge of said ap engaging upwardly against said neckband to lock the device in place therein.

2. A collar protecting device of the type described, comprising a body member of flexible sheet material having integral, laterally projecting neckband engaging arms of substantial length and an integral locking and rigidifying tab between said arms, said tab being connected to said body member by a preformed, non-rectilinear fold line including separate hinge portions which are spaced substantially from one another and being bendable on said line into overlying relation to said body member, said member, arms and tab being arcuately iiexed as a unit, with said tab on the convex side thereof, into general conformity with a neckband opening for insertion in the latter, said tab being of sufficient length to laterally over-extend the forward central throat zone of said neckband.

3. A collar protecting device of the type described, comprising a body member of flexible sheet material having integral, laterally projecting neckband engaging arms of substantial length, an integral locking and rigidifying tab between said arms, said tab being connected to said body member by a preformed, obtusely angled fold line and being bendable on said line into overlying relation to said body member, said member, arms and tab being arcuately flexed as a unit, with said tab on the convex side thereof, into general conformity with a neckband opening for insertion in the latter, and a further proecting element integrally connected to said body member in opposed, aligned relation to said tab and bendable toward the latter over said convex surface, said tab being of sufficient length to laterally over-extend the forward central throat zone of said neckband.

4. A collar protector of the type described comprising a central member having a pair of integrally connected, laterally extending spring arms adapted to be flexed into general conformity with a neckband opening for insertion therein, and a locking and rigidifying flap integrally hinged to said member between said arms and bendable relative thereto, said fiap being provided with a roughened free edge and in said bent relation being springably biased toward the surface of said member when the latter is so flexed and conformed, and extending upwardly adjacent said surface for locking engagement of said free edge with an inner neckband surface, said flap being of sufficient length to laterally over-extend the forward central throat Zone of said neckband.

5. A collar protector and support comprising a flexible paperboard member having integral oppositely extending arms, said member and arms being adapted to be flexed into general conformity with a neckband opening for insertion and engagement therein, and a pair of opposed flaps disposed in alignment with one another transversely of the direction of said arms and integrally and flexibly connected by preformed fold lines to said member medially of said arms, said flaps extending in opposite directions relative to said member, being foldable toward a common surface of the member and being unidirectionally biased toward said surface when said member is so flexed and conformed, said flaps being of sufficient length to laterally overextend the forward central throat zone of said neckband.

6. A collar support comprising a exible elongated member of sheet material adapted to be bent into curved form in general conformity with the neckband of a shirt and to be inserted within said neckband to extend upwardly in bracing relation thereto, said member having a tab bendably connected thereto adjacent the lower side and between the ends thereof, which tab projects forwardly and upwardly from the convex surface of the member in said curved condition thereof for gripping and displacement resisting engagement with said neckband, said tab being of suicient length to laterally over-extend the forward central throat Zone of said neckband, the bendable connection of said tab to said member being constituted by a non-rectilinear fold line therebetween including separate hinge portions which are spaced substantially from one another lengthwise of said line, enabling automatic toggle iiexure of the upwardly extending tab toward said convex surface when said member is curved, to thereby store spring energy at said connection.

WILLIAM R. KOI-IL. ARDEN L. IVERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 249,378 Lynch Nov. 8, 1881 2,204,004 Steele June 11, 1940 

